Have the fruit not too ripe, make an incision in the side to take out the stone, or they may be cut in halves, and peeled or preserved with the skin on; have a preserving pan on the fire with water boiling, throw them in, and as they rise to the top take them out and put them into cold water. If they are blanched too much they will break, therefore it is better to have two pans of cold water to throw them in, so as those may be separated which are broken; drain them from the water, and put them in a thin syrup which is boiling on the fire; do not put in too many at a time; put in the hardest first, and give them about a dozen boils; take them out carefully and put them in an earthen pan; give the soft ones only two or three boils; cover them with the syrup and let them remain until the next day; drain the syrup from them, add more sugar to it, and boil and skim it until it has acquired the degree of the large thread; give the apricots two or three boils in it; the soft ones only require to have the syrup poured on them boiling hot; repeat this for four or five successive days, and on the last day boil the syrup to the large pearl. If you find, after they are finished, that the syrup has been boiled too high, mix a little powdered alum with a spoonful of water, and add to it.